HICKORY MILLS, Ill. — Surrounded by family, coach, friends and, yes, plates of hot wings, St. Rita High School‘s Bruce Gaston sat at a large table in a suburban Chicago restaurant with five caps in front of him.
Bruce Gaston, St. Rita
File photo by John Rowland
He smiled from ear to ear.
After months of college visits and phone calls and discussions with his parents and coaches, the highly recruited defensive end’s decision-making process one week before National Signing Day had come to this: a press conference, in which he would pick a cap to wear.
"I‘m a little nervous," he said, with Bruce Sr. looking on proudly.
Nervous? Gaston showed few signs of anxiety, which will make the folks around Purdue University happy about their newest Boilermaker.
He didn‘t touch a hot wing, leaving those instead for his guests. He didn‘t even talk about football dreams he had or college championships or how many quarterbacks he wanted to hurt on Saturdays the next four years. He talked about education. Beyond anything, education seemed to be the top priority for a kid who has a grade-point average of 3.0 at St. Rita. Some kids say it. This kid seemed to mean it.
"That’s almost like a law. Education is first and foremost, No. 1. All the schools I’m looking at have great education," Gaston said. Education is definitely No. 1, and then there’s my comfort level. I can’t go to a school no matter how much I like the coach and whatnot if I’m not comfortable being there."
Gaston had researched all the schools recruiting him, especially the five final schools he considered: Purdue, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Boston College. Here was a player doing his own background checks. But then, what would you expect from a criminal-justice major?
"It’s nice to hear him talking about education that way," said Todd Kuska, head football coach at St. Rita. "It seems to me the things we’re saying as coaches and teachers are really sinking into these guys.
"He’s looking forward to school and is thankful for the opportunity he has, that so many other kids don‘t have. Kids are waiting to find out if they‘re getting in where he‘s got people lined up waiting for him. It‘s great to hear him talking about that stuff."
In fact, Gaston seemed almost apologetic for having to decline offers from several schools.
"The thing I didn’t like most about the recruiting process is that you meet so many good people," Gaston said. "Once you meet so many good people and build relationships with them, it’s hard to tell no to all of the schools except one. That’s the hardest thing about it."
In the end, Purdue won out. One by one, in dramatic flair worthy of Hollywood, Gaston picked up caps or put them on his head, then picked up the Purdue cap, placed it on and smiled.
"I believe Purdue was the most comfortable," Gaston said. "I love the head coach, love the D-line coach, love the strength coach. I love the whole staff, and most importantly, I fit in with the players pretty well. I enjoyed myself down there every time.
"It feels like a family every time I go down there. When I meet with the coaches, it doesn’t even feel like I’m being recruited. Just another member of the family."
At 6-foot-2 and 290 pounds, Gaston may be able to have an immediate impact at Purdue. He hopes to play as a true freshman. Over the last two years, Kuska says Gaston has improved tremendously.
"He started to have more of a repetoire. The first two years, he’s just throwing people around because he‘s bigger and stronger," Kuska said. "Well, he gets up to varsity and in our conference (Chicago Catholic Blue), there are some big, strong guys, too. So he had to rely on more than just brute strength and talent, he had to rely on his ability to make moves and do things on the field. He‘s a smart football player, too."
Gaston made his decision Monday night, then announced it Tuesday.
"Now I’ll be able to go home and get a real good night’s sleep," Gaston said. "It feels so much better now that I have it out. I just feel so relieved now. All of the stress and weight on my shoulders is off. I didn’t think it would take this long."
While he declined to get into specifics of why he did not pick the other schools on his list, a bond quickly developed between Gaston and Purdue coach Danny Hope.
"He blew me out of the water the first time I met him," Gaston said. "I was wanting to commit right then."
More recruiting: Illinois recruit Cooper considers other schools
One of the big Chicago names still out there, possibly, as of mid-week, was Proviso East’s Corey Cooper. He verbaled earlier to Illinois, but now is also considering Notre Dame, Arizona and Nebraska. He canceled a recruiting trip to Florida State last weekend, according to the Chicago Tribune.
"Illinois has always been in the picture. I am still committed to Illinois. I’m going to think it over and talk it over with my family," he told the Tribune.
Cooper’s final decision may not come until Wednesday. Cooper, being recruited as a safety, talked months ago of hoping that he and friend Kyle Prater of Proviso West would both attend Illinois. Prater is a USC commit.
* Evanston defensive tackle Jeffrey Brown has offers from Miami, Illinois State and Toledo, and was to visit Miami this weekend. The Hurricanes are the only BCS team so far with an offer.
* Richards wide receiver Keith Sconiers will take a visit this weekend to Akron, a Mid-American Conference school.
* While Illinois has lost some recruits due to its 3-9 record and a change in some of head coach Ron Zook’s assistants, Downers Grove South quarterback Chandler Whitmer remains committed to the Illini, according to the Tribune.
Around Chicagoland
* That big sigh of relief you may have heard probably came from Maine South High School, which had been facing rumors of steroid use among its football players on Internet message boards frequented by prep football fans. This week, the Illinois High School Association said none of the drug tests on 141 athletes during fall season championships came back positive. Maine South has won the last two Class 8A football championships.
"It is truly unfortunate that these rumors have persisted," said Marty Hickman, IHSA Executive Director, in a statement. "It is our hope that these groundless accusations will not diminish the outstanding accomplishments of Maine South High School, its football coaching staff and its players."
* Whitney Young’s girls’ basketball team pushed its unbeaten streak to 19 with a 69-20 bashing of Curie in the Public League playoffs on Wednesday. The Dolphins have already won the Public League Windy City West regular-season title. They haven’t lost since last year’s Class 4A title game against Bolingbrook.
* Ryan Keith, Zach Tsiodras, Grant Jensen and Tyler Sadowski will attempt to lead Roselle Lake Park to its second consecutive state bowling title this weekend at St. Clair Bowl in Fairview Heights. The only other school to win back-to-back state bowling titles was Tinley Park Andrew in 2005 and 2006.
* Five Lane wrestlers won titles, including Max Schneider, the top-ranked wrestler in Class 3A, and the Indians won the Public League team championship last weekend.
Notable performers
* Jaban Parker, a freshman, scored 15 points, leading Simeon to a 56-42 win over Julian for a share of the Public League’s Red-South title with Bogan.
* Mycheal Henry scored 18 points, leading Orr to a 49-48 upset victory over North Lawndale.
* Niles North’s Abdel Nadel scored 39 points and had 10 rebounds in a 76-65 win over Gordon.
* Justina Baker scored 26 points and had eight steals for Seton Academy in a 50-39 win over U-High.
Paul Bowker, a sports journalist for 25 years who has worked at newspapers nationwide, covers the Chicago area for MaxPreps. He may be reached at bowkerpaul1@aol.com.
